Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fixing structure and a grille shutter unit.
Description of the Related Art
For example, as described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2009-108887, a fixing structure in which members are positioned and fixed to each other by a locking claw has been widely provided in vehicles. For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2009-108887 discloses a fixing structure in which a bumper and a fog lamp cover are fixed to each other by a locking claw. In addition, a grille shutter described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application, First Publication No. 2013-199178 is also fixed to an air guide, which is fixed to a vehicle body, by a locking claw, thereby forming a fixing structure. For example, the air guide which guides air inflow and a frame which supports flaps are fixed to the grille shutter by the locking claw. In a case where the members are attached to each other, the locking claw is bent by abutting against the opponent member until a locking position where the opponent member locks is reached, and when the locking position is reached, the locking claw recovers its original shape and is locked onto the opponent member.
In the fixing structure described above, there may be cases where one member is joined to another member which is made of a different material, and one of the members therefore has a higher stiffness than the other. For example, in a case where the frame of the grille shutter has higher stiffness than that of the air guide and the locking claw is formed in the air guide, when the air guide is attached to the frame of the grille shutter, the locking claw has lower stiffness than that of the opponent member and is likely to be significantly bent. Therefore, depending on the force applied by an operator during the attaching operation, there may be cases where problems such as breaking of the locking claw occur, resulting in poor workability. In addition, even after the locking claw is attached to the locked member, the locking claw is likely to be deformed. Therefore, the members are slightly displaced by vibration of a vehicle, which results in rattling, noise, and the like. Therefore, in the related art, the members are fixed to each other by not only the locking claw but also by an auxiliary screw or the like.
The present invention has been made taking the above-described problems into consideration, and an object thereof is to prevent breaking of a locking claw during attachment of the locking claw in a fixing structure in which members are fixed to each other by the locking claw, and to enable the members to be firmly fixed to each other without using an additional screw.
The present invention employs the following configurations as means for solving the problems.